Life of Pi

The author presents a transcript of Pi’s interview with two officials from the Maritime Department in the Japanese Ministry of Transport, Tomohiro Okamoto and Atsuro Chiba, who are in California on unrelated business. They drive to Tomatlán, Mexico to interview Pi when they learn that he is the lone survivor of the Japanese Tsimtsum. However, due to a series of comical errors resulting in them getting lost and suffering multiple car repairs, they arrive in Tomatlán 41 hours late. Utterly exhausted from not having slept for 41 hours, Chiba and Okamoto begin interviewing Pi. The transcript includes outsourced translations of Chiba and Okamoto when they speak in Japanese. These translations appear as a separate font from the rest of the transcription.

The interview begins, dated February 19th, 1978. Okamoto introduces himself and Chiba, who is new on the job. Okamoto tells Chiba to pay attention and learn. They ask Pi if he wants a cookie, which he accepts. Chapter 97 consists only of: “The story.” Okamoto and Chiba marvel at Pi’s tale, but they express disbelief between themselves in Japanese. Pi asks for another cookie before Okamoto suggests they take a break.

Upon returning, Okamoto and Chiba tell Pi that his story is interesting, but not believable.